Quinta da Aveleda Douro Charamba - 2007

Color: Dark like black midnight in the forest day where light can only go through when in direct sight burnt maroon.

1st Glass:
Bouquet:

Large bouquet as it had well extend beyond the glass as I was preparing dinner that almost came off merlot like. Plenty of spice, black pepper, cardamon; blue and black berry following it through with soft earth like after a light rain, plenty of dark fruit moving towards the back jammy as sweet butter creme just rounds it off at the end.

Taste:

• Initial: Old world on the initial with a muddy black berry plum combo attack that's sweet and a touch of acidity.
• Mid: Acidity begins to pick up with spices varying from black pepper with the dampness of the forest floor continuing through as the berries and very dark fruit washes around.
• Finish: Acidity peaks with black cherry, dark strawberry that isn't over ripe and spice to boot.
  

Notes: Very pleasant at the pop.

1st Hour
Bouquet:

The bouquet has come through more now as moist forest floor with moss, wood breaking down to mulch, and a touch of mushrooms. Along with this, a pungent spice of fresh green pepper and ground black pepper come through midway. Dark fruit comes on the back end with blue berry and ripe strawberry being more prominent.

Taste:

• Initial: Light earth with bright crushed berries largely cherry as acidity mingles softly across.
• Mid: Acidity takes the foreground with largely cherry crushed berry as the soft soft mud mingling along.
• Finish: The spices come forth striking followed by slicing acidity and then ripe ripe cherries softening the sting.
  

1st Day
Bouquet:

Unlike yesterday where the bouquet had soft damp forest floor, it would have come to a much more firm earth that had time to dry out. The berry scent that was once there seem to grown to be a bit more prominent rather than seated in the background with sweeter fruit. It's grown to be much more new world over time with some black pepper and fresh baked bread coming through on the back end.

Taste:

• Initial: Plum skin comes out the moment striking the tongue following into darker cherry juice transitioning into a drying strawberry as it moves to the mid pallet.
• Mid: The acidity wasn't prominent but there were some bitterness to it. There were dusty dry earth among the sour crushed cherries dancing about.
• Finish: Finish is a bit light with the spices having grown softer rather than stronger with cherry continuing through as strawberry stem becomes clear.
  

Excited about how it turns out the longer it stays in the decanter airing.

Evaluation: Worth a try, [87].

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